Staff editorial: ap classes create unneeded stress
Once again, the time of year when the student body collectively begins to worry about their future has arrived. As schedules are sent in, AP contracts are signed, and applications, interviews and auditions are held to determine placement into various courses, the numerous flaws in the system are revealed.
Students are stressed, overworked, and apprehensive of the next phases in their lives. As a society, we have come to expect that attending college is the next step towards a successful life, and that the only way to get accepted is through taking as many rigorous classes as possible to set ourselves apart from our peers. But the level of competition has become unbearable. Freshmen and sophomores are now taking typical junior and senior level classes, and the idea of “doubling up” to get ahead in science and math is commonplace. Yet what are we sacrificing in the process?
For the students who are stuck in the middle, they are virtually abandoned. The emphasis is placed on the top 10 percent of each class who are pursuing rigorous colleges, or the lower end of the spectrum, for whom the school is doing all they can to get each of them to graduation. For those who dabble in a few AP courses while simultaneously enrolling in electives, they are lost in the shuffle. When compared to their overachieving peers, there is no way to compete.
Students are hesitant to take “fun” classes, for fear that chorus, band, or advanced weight training won’t boost their GPA as much as an extra AP. The idea of sticking with a given course, be it a language, art, or CTE classes because students enjoy them, has become more and more rare.
We are sprinting up an endless hill of stress, rigor, and competition; and we are doing so at major costs. We have lost the passion that drives students to learn topics that interest them, to gain experience in areas across the school, to value other aspects of education besides the elements that will get them accepted to college.
The system can only be changed if enough people speak out, and make sacrifices to halt the spread of the AP virus. It won’t work unless we collectively decide to slow down and enjoy the numbered days of high school while we still can.
We must find our passions, break out of the collegiate mindset, and focus on the here and now. High school is a time to discover your true self, to experiment with your interests and step out of your comfort zone. It is a place where you shouldn’t have to sacrifice what you desire to meet the expectations of others.
Roberson prides itself on being a school that is accepting of all students. Yet the irony lies in the competition -- it becomes hostile for those wishing to cultivate passion, fueling fear of failure for those wishing to set themselves apart, and do something they love.
Roberson, this is our wake-up call. It’s time to change the system, to alleviate the stress, to transition back into an environment where students can learn for the sake of learning, not to have the highest class rank. It’s time to make our school a place where we excel not because we need to, but because we want to.
Students are stressed, overworked, and apprehensive of the next phases in their lives. As a society, we have come to expect that attending college is the next step towards a successful life, and that the only way to get accepted is through taking as many rigorous classes as possible to set ourselves apart from our peers. But the level of competition has become unbearable. Freshmen and sophomores are now taking typical junior and senior level classes, and the idea of “doubling up” to get ahead in science and math is commonplace. Yet what are we sacrificing in the process?
For the students who are stuck in the middle, they are virtually abandoned. The emphasis is placed on the top 10 percent of each class who are pursuing rigorous colleges, or the lower end of the spectrum, for whom the school is doing all they can to get each of them to graduation. For those who dabble in a few AP courses while simultaneously enrolling in electives, they are lost in the shuffle. When compared to their overachieving peers, there is no way to compete.
Students are hesitant to take “fun” classes, for fear that chorus, band, or advanced weight training won’t boost their GPA as much as an extra AP. The idea of sticking with a given course, be it a language, art, or CTE classes because students enjoy them, has become more and more rare.
We are sprinting up an endless hill of stress, rigor, and competition; and we are doing so at major costs. We have lost the passion that drives students to learn topics that interest them, to gain experience in areas across the school, to value other aspects of education besides the elements that will get them accepted to college.
The system can only be changed if enough people speak out, and make sacrifices to halt the spread of the AP virus. It won’t work unless we collectively decide to slow down and enjoy the numbered days of high school while we still can.
We must find our passions, break out of the collegiate mindset, and focus on the here and now. High school is a time to discover your true self, to experiment with your interests and step out of your comfort zone. It is a place where you shouldn’t have to sacrifice what you desire to meet the expectations of others.
Roberson prides itself on being a school that is accepting of all students. Yet the irony lies in the competition -- it becomes hostile for those wishing to cultivate passion, fueling fear of failure for those wishing to set themselves apart, and do something they love.
Roberson, this is our wake-up call. It’s time to change the system, to alleviate the stress, to transition back into an environment where students can learn for the sake of learning, not to have the highest class rank. It’s time to make our school a place where we excel not because we need to, but because we want to.